Floribunda rose plant named &#39;Poulcas044&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new garden rose plant of the floribunda class which has abundant, mauve flowers and attractive foliage. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Rosa hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Poulcas044’

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of garden rose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between the female seed parent, an unnamed seedling, and the male pollen parent, also an unnamed seedling.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 2006 and the resulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark. The new variety, named ‘Poulcas044’, originated as a single seedling from the stated cross.

The new variety may be distinguished from its female seed parent by flower colour. The female seed parent has pink flowers, while the new variety has mauve flowers.

The new variety may be distinguished from the male pollen parent by flower colour. The pollen parent has medium red flowers.

The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety was to create a new and distinct variety for garden use with unique qualities, such as:

1. Uniform and abundant mauve flowers;

2. Vigorous, but compact growth when propagated both as a budded rose and on its own roots;

3. Exceptional disease resistance.

This combination of qualities is not present in previously available commercial cultivars of this type, known to the inventor, and distinguish ‘Poulcas044’ from all other varieties of which we are aware.

As part of the rose development program, Mogens N. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization during winter of 2006 and conducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark. ‘Poulcas044’ was selected in the spring of 2007 by the inventor as a single plant from the progeny of the aforementioned hybridization.

Asexual reproduction of ‘Poulcas044’ by traditional budding and rooted cuttings was first done by Mogens N. Olesen in the nursery in Fredensborg, Denmark in July, 2007. This initial and other subsequent asexual propagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Poulcas044’ are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration shows as true as is reasonably possible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typical characteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Poulcas044’. Specifically illustrated in the drawing are flowers at various stages of development, flower in parts, leaves, and stems. Plants shown are 2 years of age.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a description of ‘Poulcas044’, as observed in its growth in a field nursery in Marion County, Oreg. Observed plants are 2 years of age, and were grown on their own roots. Observed plants are 3 years of age, and were grown on Rosa multiflora understock. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001, except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety ‘Poulbella’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,904 dated Sep. 3, 2002, are compared to ‘Poulcas044’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Poulcas044’ ‘Poulbella’ Petal Count 40 petals 35 to 40 petals Flower Diameter 85 mm 50 to 80 mm General Tonality Red-Purple Group 63B Red-Purple Group 57C of Flower Color

-   Flower and flower bud:     -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous.         -   Flower bud.—Size: Upon opening, 35 mm in length from base of             receptacle to end of bud. Bud diameter is 15 mm. Bud form:             Globose. Bud color: As sepals divide petals are Red-Purple             Group 67A. Sepal inner surface: Color: Yellow-Green Group             144C with intonations of Greyed-Red Group 181B. Surface:             Lightly pubescent. Sepal outer surface: Color: Yellow-Green             Group 144A with intonations of Red Group 180A. . Texture:             Smooth. Sepal Shape: Apex: Cirrhose. Base: Flat at union             with receptacle. Sepal Margin: Margins have moderate             foliaceous appendages on three of the five sepals. Sepal             size: 30 mm long by 10 mm wide. Receptacle: Texture: Smooth.             Size: 6 mm in height by 6 mm wide. Color: Yellow-Green Group             144A. Shape: Urn shaped. Pedicel: Surface: Small prickles.             Length: 30 to 35 mm. Diameter: 3 mm on average. Color:             Yellow-Green Group N144A. Strength: Strong.         -   Flower bud development.—Flower buds are borne in clusters of             1 to 5 flower buds per stem.         -   Flower bloom.—Fragrance: Moderate rose perfume. Duration:             The blooms have a duration on the plant of approximately 7             to 10 days. Petals fall cleanly away from plant after             flowers have fully matured. Size: Flower diameter is 85 mm             when open. Flower depth is 35 mm.         -   Petalage.—Under normal conditions, flowers have 40 petals             total, 5 of which are petaloids.         -   General tonality of flower.—Open flowers are Red-Purple             Group 63B.         -   Petal color.—Upon opening, outer & inner petals Upper             surface: Red-Purple Group N66C. Lower surface: Red-Purple             Group 68B. Basal petal spots, upon opening: Upper surface:             Yellow Group 1 C. Lower surface: Yellow Group 1C. After             opening, outer petals Upper surface: Red-Purple Group N66C.             Lower surface: Red-Purple Group 68B. After opening, inner             petals: Upper surface: Red-Purple Group N66C. Lower surface:             Red-Purple Group 68B. Basal petal spots, after opening:             Upper surface: Yellow Group 1C. Lower surface: Yellow Group             1C.         -   Petals.—Petal Reflex: Slightly reflexed. Margin: Entire and             uniform. Shape: Generally rounded. Apex shape: Rounded. Base             shape: Broadly acute. Size: 40 mm (l)×40 mm (w). Texture:             Smooth. Thickness: Average.         -   Petaloids.—Size: 20 mm (l) by 15 mm (w). Quantity: About 5.             Shape: Apex is rounded, base is acute. Color: Upper surface,             Red-Purple Group N66C. Lower surface, Red-Purple Group 68B.             Basal petaloid spots are Yellow Group 1C upper and lower             surface.         -   Reproductive organs.—Pollen: None observed. Anthers: Size: 2             mm in length. Color: Greyed-Yellow Group 162A. Quantity: 60             on average. Filaments: Color: White Group 155A. Length:             5 mm. Pistils: Length: 4 mm. Quantity: 25 on average.             Stigmas: Color: Greyed-Yellow Group 162D. Styles: Color:             Green-White Group 157A. -   Plant:     -   -   Plant growth.—Upright, bushy. Plants are about 45 cm in             height, and 40 cm wide.         -   Stems.—Color: Juvenile growth: Yellow-Green Group N144A.             Mature growth: Yellow-Green Group N144A. Length: On average,             canes are 30 cm from the base of the plant to the flowering             portion. Diameter: 6 to 7 mm. Internodes: On mature canes,             there is an average distance of 40 mm between nodes. Surface             Texture: Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.         -   Long prickles.—Incidence: 9 prickles per 10 cm of stem.             Size: Average length of prickles on mature stems is 10 mm.             Shape: Upper portion is linear. Lower portion is concave.             Color: Juvenile prickles: Greyed-Purple Group 184B. Mature             prickles: Greyed-Red Group 182C.         -   Plant foliage.—Compound leaf: 125 mm (l)×85 (w). Quantity: 2             leaves per 10 cm of stem on average. Leaf bearing angle to             the stem: 60 degrees. Color of juvenile foliage: Upper side:             Yellow-Green Group 144B. Lower side: Yellow-Green Group             145B. Color of mature foliage: Upper side: Yellow-Green             Group 146A. Lower side: Yellow-Green Group 146B.         -   Plant leaves and leaflets.—Stipules: Size: 17 mm in length.             3 mm width. Quantity: 2 per compound leaf. Shape: Linear,             slightly broad based with outward extending apices. Margins:             Finely serrated with many stipitate glands. Color:             Yellow-Green Group 146A. Petiole: Length: 15 mm. Diameter:             2 mm. Upper surface: Color: Red-Purple Group 59C. Lower             surface: Color: Red-Purple Group 59C and Yellow-Green Group             145C. Rachis: Length: 60 mm Upper surface: Color:             Yellow-Green Group 145C with intonations of Red Group 182A.             Lower surface: Color: Yellow-Green Group 145C Observations:             Small prickles. Leaflet: Quantity: Normal number of leaflets             per leaf in middle of the stem is 7 leaflets. Margins:             Serrated. Size: Average size of the terminal leaflet on             normal leaves is 50 mm in length by 48 mm wide. Shape:             Generally elliptical. Base: Rounded. Apex: Mucronate.             Texture: Smooth. Thickness: Average. Arrangement: Odd             pinnate. Venation: Reticulate. Glossiness: Glossy.         -   Disease resistance.—Above average resistance to powdery             mildew Sphaerotheca pannosa, downy mildew Peronospora             sparsa, rust Phragmidium sps., black spot Diplocarpon rosae,             and Botrytis cinerea under normal growing conditions.         -   Cold hardiness.—The variety is tolerant to USDA Cold             Hardiness Zone 6.         -   Heat tolerance.—The variety has been found to be suitable             for climate conditions found in the American Horticulture             Society heat zone 7. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the floribunda rose class named ‘Poulcas044’, substantially as illustrated and described herein, due to its abundant mauve flowers, disease resistance, and extended period of bloom. 